The present invention relates to the orientation of intravenous needles or similar articles during their manufacture and provides an automatic means for causing all needles to have the same orientation with respect to the position of the flat portion of the bevelled needle tip. More particularly, the invention relates to a vibrator fixture which automatically orients such needles as a step during their handling such as prior to the insertion of the needle into a butterfly syringe or other intravenous carrier.
The present practice during the manufacture and handling of intravenous needles and similar items, having small flat portions which must be oriented, is to manually ascertain the position of the flats and to then manually manipulate the needles to provide a specific orientation. The method and means of the present invention eliminates the need for such a manual observation and orientation and automatically moves each needle to a predetermined position. This provides a simple and high speed orientation step and also provides a method and means which are readily incorporated into partial or fully automated needle instrument manufacturing lines.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and means for orienting intravenous needles or similar articles having elongated shanks with bevelled tips.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic needle orienting device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved vibratory method and means for orienting bevel tipped needles.
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.